AUBURN, Ala. -- Before Kerryon Johnson became arguably the most prolific scorer in major college football, before he single-handedly carried Auburn into playoff contention and before his coach threw his name into the Heisman Trophy conversation, he had to first overcome the fear of standing still.
The junior running back had always thought of his job as a binary proposition: go fast or go nowhere at all. You have to understand that when 300-pound linemen are bearing down on you, the fight-or-flight instinct kicks in quickly. And like most young backs, Johnson would try to sprint or muscle his way out of trouble every time.